Engaging with our stakeholders

Our ability to create long-term sustainable value depends on open and constructive engagement with all our stakeholders. Stakeholders are those parties that can affect or be affected by our activities, objectives and policies. The Group identifies its key stakeholders through ongoing engagement with individuals, groups and organisations. Engagement enables us to identify and act upon the issues that affect our stakeholders and our business, improves our understanding of stakeholders’ expectations, aspirations and interests, and strengthens the transparency and accountability through which we have established valued relationships.

The Group’s stakeholder universe includes customers, suppliers, shareholders, franchisees, employees, regulating authorities, media, various levels of government and community groups. We are committed to balancing their interests in a responsible and respectful manner. Here we detail our engagement with our key stakeholders, focusing on those groups that have either a significant interest in the operations of the Group or have significant influence over the way we do business and create value.

How our strategy responds to employee needs

Most talented South African retail business

Effective and lean organisational structure

Advance employee opportunity and diversity

Why we engage

To get the best out of our team, we regularly engage with our employees on strategy, key performance indicators, financial performance and the role
we expect each individual employee to play in our business

To identify and recognise good performance

To identify training and development needs

To hold each team member accountable for the job they do

How we engage

Regular management updates

Employee surveys

Monthly internal publications

In-house television and radio communications, and employee conferences

What our suppliers tell us is most important to them

Fair pricing, research and development support, transparent contracts and agreements, infrastructure and logistics support

Opportunities for cost reduction

Transformation and enterprise development

Resource efficiency (energy, water, waste, logistics)

How our strategy responds to supplier needs

To build fair, efficient and mutually beneficial business relationships

A cost effective and efficient supply chain

Product innovation to meet evolving customer needs

Continual development of small businesses and diverse and ethical suppliers

Contribute to job creation

Why we engage

To ensure that we are able to source a leading range of high-quality produce and merchandise at the best possible prices and that we can commit to on-shelf availability, food safety and sustainable and ethical business practices

Why we engage

To provide our shareholders with a comprehensive, transparent and objective understanding of the business, so that our shares may trade at a fair value and that our shareholders are aware of the risks and opportunities associated with investing in the Group

How we engage

At least four formal engagements a year: two financial results presentations, an annual general meeting and an investor day/strategic update

Regular engagement with investors, analysts and fund managers

Direct engagement on proposed resolutions prior to annual and extraordinary general meetings